Protect What Matters
by Anneliza
Summary: Alfred has just taken over for his late father as head of a major corporation and finally feels as if he can be himself. He can finally stop hiding his relationship with Francis that his father never approved of but on the night of their first public event, someone takes notice of Francis and realizes he could be a great deal of leverage over the young businessman.
1. Chapter 1

The long black car pulled to a stop outside of the extravagant hotel, causing the occupant to let out a nervous breath. The driver of the car turned in his seat to face his passenger.

"Do not worry," he said in a calm voice. "He is expecting you and you look dazzling. As long as you keep your mask on, no one will know a thing." The passenger smiled a little, still hesitant. The driver stepped out of the car and came around to open the door. He continued to soothe his passenger as he held the door. "Have a wonderful time and if there are any problems, I will pick you up immediately."

"Thank you."

"Of course."

Carefully slipping out of the car, the passenger adjusted the mask on the pale face. Another masked person was standing just inside the hotel's ballroom, checking the invites of any person who walked through the door. A pearly white card with silver writing was given to the attendant as requested before being allowed entrance.

At the far side of the ballroom was a stage where a young man in a dark suit was giving a speech to the awaiting crowd. His eyes were slightly downcast behind his glasses and his tone was solemn, clearly serious about the content of his speech.

"Thank you all for attending," he was saying. "It is with a heavy heart that I take my father's place as head of Jones Manufacturing. His death came as a great shock to all of us and it will be difficult to move forward in his absence. I will do my utmost to run this company as well as he did and continue toward our goals. I may be young but I have plenty of new ideas that will help us move forward as if we never stopped."

The crowd applauded politely as he finished. A few moments later music began to filter throughout the room and several couples started dancing. The young man stepped off the stage with a sigh. He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes before replacing them.

When he looked up he noticed the newcomer. The person wore a floor length, ruby red dress that had two high slits up the sides. It had one shoulder holding it in place on which rested perfectly curled honey colored hair. A necklace of diamonds lay comfortably around the neck while a matching ruby and gold mask covered the top half of the face. Out of the eyeholes shone two brilliant sapphire eyes that were locked onto the young man.

Around the newcomer, women huddled in groups to fervently whisper about the new arrival. They had never seen this person before and demanded to know if anyone else had. While they exchanged gossip and ideas, the young man had begun to make his way over to the stranger. His aquamarine eyes sparkled with happiness behind his square glasses which made the women bicker all the more.

He stopped inches away from the stranger and held out his hand.

"You made it," he whispered fondly. "I was almost afraid I was going to miss you." Smiling softly, the stranger took his hand and let him lead them away from the gossip hungry women. The women stopped whispering for a moment and stared in shock. When the surprise wore off, they started whispering furiously again. All of them glared at the newcomer with jealousy clear in their eyes. When they were in the middle of the dancefloor, the young man pulled the other in closely and started dancing. "You look beautiful tonight, Francis," he murmured directly into the other's ear. "I am so glad that you came."

Putting his head on the other's shoulder, Francis replied in a quiet voice, "I would not have missed this. I had to support you on this day, Alfred. I know you will be wonderful in your father's absence."

The pair danced in a warm silence for several songs until Alfred placed a kiss on Francis' cheek and guided them to a nearby bathroom. He led them to the large, handicapped stall and eagerly pushed the other inside, locking it quickly behind them.

"Doll," he cooed, voice excited. "You truly look gorgeous. I can hardly contain myself around you."

"Then don't," Francis said simply, a playful look in his eyes.

Not needing to be told twice, Alfred instantly dragged one of the long legs around his waist and forced him against the bathroom wall. He held the other there as he furiously kissed him, restrained emotions bursting forth. Frustrated with the mask between them, he tore it from the other's face roughly and pulled him back in immediately.

"I can't," he forced out between kisses. "Believe you." Another kiss. " _Shaved._ " A loud pop as they pulled apart. "For this."

"I-I had to," Francis replied, letting out a moan as the other started trailing kisses and bites down his neck. "I h-had to look th-the p-part. Y-You know w-we have to s-stay s-secret. " Another moan, higher than the last, spilled out of Francis' mouth as Alfred ground his hips forward. Both could feel the other's hardness. "A-And doesn't it end th-there…"

Suddenly Alfred paused and drew back.

"Wait." He stared at Francis, eyes narrowed slightly as he pondered something. "Are you…wearing panties?"

A small blush appeared on the pale skin before a challenging look replaced it.

"Why don't you find out, darling?"

Alfred dove back at Francis, determined to discover the answer.

Both of them missed the person in the stall next to them peek over the top of their stall with a camera as they quickly shed their undergarments. Neither of them heard the soft _click_ either as their moans started to echo in the small room.

* * *

AN: This is a story idea I have been toying with for several years and have finally decided to go ahead with. I cannot promise frequent updates but I can promise it will eventually be finished!


	2. Chapter 2

The soft glow of the flickering television was the only source of light in the room. The atmosphere was calm as the pair laid together watching the news. Alfred was laying on his back, two fluffy pillows supporting him, and was holding Francis close. The younger was on his side, head resting on the older's chest. Both were sleepy and relaxing in a comfortable silence.

A news report started playing about the head of Jones Manufacturing passing and his memoir service. A clip of Alfred's speech started playing.

"The passing of Alfred Jones Senior is a tragic incident. Hundreds attended the exclusive event earlier this evening which saw the passing of the torch to twenty-eight year old Alfred Jones Junior. As he knew his time was slowly drawing to a close, the previous head of the company began grooming his son to take over two years ago. This did not seem to sit well with many of the company's senior officers who believed that they were better suited for the job. All of these doubts seem to have been erased with the poignant speech Jones Junior gave."

A picture of Francis and Alfred dancing together appeared on the screen.

"Look, darling," Francis murmured with a small smile, pointing at the television. "It's us."

"The most interesting part of the night for many was the mysterious guest that danced with the young company head. No one seems to know who this woman is but he certainly seemed to know her. Has the unapproachable millionaire finally found someone to settle down with? I wonder what Daddy Jones would have thought of her?"

Alfred glared and turned off the television.

" _Daddy Jones_ ," he spit maliciously. "Did not approve of my love life, that homophobic old man. I wouldn't have been seen as 'unapproachable' if _Daddy Jones_ had just allowed me to bring my boyfriend to a party or two."

Francis smiled up at him and gently touched his arm.

"He's gone now, love. He can't try and separate us anymore."

Leaning down, he placed a soft kiss on his boyfriend.

"You're right." His movement caused the blankets to fall down their naked bodies and Francis to shiver. "Sorry, baby doll," he apologized as the pulled the covers back over the younger.

* * *

Alfred had learned quickly that taking over for his father meant plenty of late nights as he attempted to adjust to being the president of a company. No matter what that news anchor had said, many of the senior officers still did not approve of him running the company and were attempting to subtlety sabotage him. He was trying his hardest to prove them wrong as he put his ideas in place and worked more than sixty hours a week in his new position. Since the memorial service, a few senior officers had started to show some faith in him but he had a feeling that had to do more with his dance partner than his speech or actions.

The men who had come to his side had started out friendly enough. However, as time passed they started asking where he had met such a beautiful lady, how serious they were, if he could find them a woman like her. He had answered their questions politely and said he would talk to his 'girlfriend' about whether or not any of her friends were available.

He glanced around the ornate office that had been his father's until just a week ago. At this height, the lights of the city didn't reach the office through the large windows behind him and he hadn't turned any of the lights in the room on which left the room nearly pitch black. However, he knew this room by heart and even in the dimness, he could see his surroundings nearly perfectly. Whether that was because he could see them or he could remember them, he wasn't sure when he was this tired.

The massive desk he sat behind was crafted from the finest mahogany and perfectly matched the chair he was resting upon. Decorating the surface of the desk and the thick shelves of the room were several trinkets from the many international trips his father had taken and gifts he had received from clients. A lamp nearby illuminated the room enough for him to see the paperwork directly in front of him and not much else. A picture rested on top of the desk of a little boy that his father had sponsored for the publicity. Alfred's own picture used to rest beside it until the day he brought Francis home. Soon he would redecorate and make the room look like himself but he had more important matters at hand.

With a long sigh, he laid his head on the many papers covering his desk and closed his eyes, completely exhausted. He had told Francis that he was going to be exceptionally busy in the upcoming weeks and the other had graciously understood. He had promised to spend as much time with him on the weekends as possible to make up for it.

A sudden creak from his door made him raise his head enough to see who had entered his office, unbidden, at such a late hour. There appeared to be someone in his doorway but it was so dark that he could not see much. Had his assistant come back? Or had his butler shown up to drag him home and force him to get some sleep in his own bed?

"Good evening, Mr. Jones."

That was not a voice that he recognized. Confused, Alfred sat up to properly regard the man.

"I'm sorry," he began politely. "I do not believe we have met."

Shadows kept most of the man hidden but Alfred could see a shadow of a smirk slide onto his face.

"Oh we have not. And I intend to keep it that way." Alarm started to creep into Alfred's tired body and he began to reach for the panic button under the desk. Something was off about this mysterious man and he was unwilling to reveal more about his name or his appearance which did not sit well with him. "I would not do that if I were you," the man said suddenly. "You see, I am here about a business proposition and if things were to go sour for _us_ , I would not be able to promise things would not go sour for _him_."

A photo dropped onto his desk and suddenly Alfred was wide awake as all the blood drained from his face.

 _Francis_


	3. Chapter 3

"What do you want from me?" Alfred demanded warily.

"Not much," the other replied smoothly. "Just 75 million dollars to keep him safe and another 25 million to keep the press from _discovering_ that your pretty girlfriend is actually a _boyfriend._ "

Alfred jumped to his feet.

"I know that my family name is associated with a great deal of money but even I do not have that much available to give to you!"

The man smirked at him.

"That is not a problem. You have just inherited an incredibly profitable company. You can just skim a little out of the books and no one will notice. CEOs have done it for years. The amount is such a small percentage it would not even be noticed."

Gaping at him, Alfred replied, "How could I do that? That would require me to steal wages from people who worked harder than most of my colleagues for it and need it to provide for their families." Shaking his head, he dropped into his chair and put his face into his hands. "I refuse to do something like that. Get out of my office."

With a spin on his heel, the man sent one last remark over his shoulder.

"You may come to regret that."

* * *

The first thing Alfred did when he arrived at work the next day was head to the security office. He had the men on duty review the tapes from the previous evening but they weren't able to learn anything about the man's identity. The microphones were not working properly so a technician was sent down to fix them and he had used the dim lighting to hide from the cameras.

The security guards had asked Alfred why he was curious about the tapes and audio but he had brushed it off with a simple answer about falling asleep and possibly dreaming up an intruder. The fact that the man couldn't be confirmed as being in the room didn't settle Alfred's nerves and it made it difficult for him to focus to his work the whole day. No less than four different senior officers came up to him to complain about his change in attitude so he tried to buckle down for the rest of the day.

As the day wound down, he was still worried about Francis so he messaged the man to see if he was available for the evening. When he replied that he would be, Alfred felt an immense weight lift from his chest. Francis was still okay. He was safe. And if he was with him that evening, he would be safe then too. Right?

He hoped so.

Those thoughts propelled him through the last few hours until he was gathering his things and walking down to meet his driver, Bruce.

"Are we picking up, Monsieur Bonnefoy tonight?" the man asked, peering at him through the rear-view mirror.

Getting comfortable against the leather seats, Alfred affirmed that they were. Silence filled the car as it drove towards the added destination that was common for both occupants. Looking out the window as they neared, Alfred could see the Frenchman locking up the little bakery he had purchased a few years ago. He finished and turned just as they parked so he let himself into the car. The car slid away from the curb moments later and Francis leaned against the other's side, smiling softly.

"This was a nice surprise, darling. I thought you were going to be busy for the next few days?"

Curling his arm around Francis' shoulders, Alfred pulled him close.

"I was going to be but I wanted to take the evening off to see you. I haven't seen you in days, doll. Tell me how things are going are at the bakery."

The smile on Francis' face widened instantly, he adored talking about his bakery and he loved when Alfred asked about it. Alfred let him talk, listening partially but mostly paying attention to see if there were any signs that his beloved had been hurt in any way. He looked for anything from the smallest cut to emotional distress but, thankfully, found none. He had feared all day that the unknown man had somehow gotten to the other and hurt him because he had not paid him the previous evening. It seemed as though his fears were, so far, unfounded.

"And she was able to get us a lot of business which helped our profits," the other was saying. "I've been saving up for a while and hopefully soon I'll finally be able to afford that expansion!"

"Francis, you could have gotten that expansion a long time ago if you had just let me pay for it," Alfred said without thinking. He was still not paying close attention to the other's words, but when his face suddenly became stony he knew he had said something wrong. Pausing, he quickly tried to remember what he had just said and instantly regretted his actions. He knew just how hard Francis had worked to open his own bakery and get it off the ground. Now he had been saving up for an expansion, which Alfred had supported, and Alfred had just verbally stomped on his progress. "Oh, Francis I didn't mean that! I promise! I really am proud of how much you've accomplished!"

The other pulled away from him, eyes full of hurt.

"Not all of us are born wealthy, Alfred. It's difficult to make your way in the world without it."

"I know, Francis. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it." Reaching out, Alfred gently stroked his arm. "Please don't be upset. I misspoke."

With a sigh, the younger decided to forgive him and moved back over to resume the embrace.

Changing the topic, he asked, "Do you have a plan for the evening or did you just want to see me?"

"I just wanted to see you," Alfred answered. "We will see if the evening goes anywhere."

"Other than the usual?" Francis replied with a small laugh.


	4. Chapter 4

A week had passed with no incidents to Alfred's continual relief. He checked in with Francis every evening either verbally or physically to the other's joy. The Frenchman had no idea of his true intentions but loved that he was making time for him. Tonight Alfred was taking Francis to dinner after a long, stressful week. The strain from work seemed never-ending and the new addition of keeping Francis safe was going to cause him to burnout if he didn't keep one under control. Since he had never been able to prove that the strange man existed and he couldn't do much to protect Francis besides the nightly check in, he had been throwing himself into his work as hard as he could. If he managed to reduce the workload to a more feasible amount, he would have more time to spend with Francis which would help with his other problem.

The car was waiting outside Francis' apartment building for only a moment before the man came hurrying out to meet them. He had chosen to wear a pair of tight fitting black pants and a lavender shirt under a matching black suit jacket. As he neared, Alfred could see he had also worn pointed, black dress shoes. Bruce dutifully opened the door for him and Francis thanked him kindly as he slipped into the car. The driver quickly scurried back around to take them to the restaurant Alfred had chosen for them.

"How was your day, doll?"

With a deep sigh, Francis replied, "It was fine. I had to throw out an entire pan of eclairs because Xavier wasn't paying attention. Then there was a clumsy customer who bumped me while I was carrying some marzipan and I dropped it." He rolled back one of his sleeves to show a white bandage wrapped around his forearm. As he did so, Alfred noticed a small silver band around his left ring finger which, while he knew it was fake and part of the act, still made a flash of jealousy and possessiveness rise up in him. "It landed on me as it fell."

Gasping quietly, Alfred cradled his arm and inspected it closely.

"Does it still hurt?"

Francis shrugged.

"Only a little. I've been burned before, it happens sometimes when you bake. It will probably be gone in a few weeks."

Pulling away, Alfred started to tug out his phone.

"I'm calling my doctor and having him come over to look at it. It may be serious."

"Alfred," the other began, rolling his eyes at his boyfriend's dramatics. "I am fine. Do not worry. You do not need to call a doctor about a silly burn." He pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I appreciate the thought though, darling." When he noticed that Alfred still seemed to be hesitating, he added, "If it does not look better in a few days I will let you call, does that work for you?"

Relaxing a little, the other nodded.

The car rolled to a stop outside the restaurant and the door was opened for them by Bruce. Thanking him, the pair stepped out and Alfred led them inside the building. The interior of the restaurant was dimly lit with some sparse tables spread throughout the large room. Each table was covered in a tablecloth of a rich plum color and a full dining set was laid out at each seat. A few glass chandeliers hung from the ceiling that had gold candleholders. Many tables were already filled with couples or small groups of people in clothes worth more than Francis' entire apartment. The whole room gave off an aura of wealth that made Francis' stomach turn.

A man in a pressed tuxedo approached them and Alfred spoke with him easily, informing him of a reservation in his name. The man checked in a small roster laying on a podium of cherry before nodding and leading them through the restaurant. However, he did not stop at one of the tables and continued on through a door at the back. The door led to four more doors, two on either side of a decorated hallway. They were led to one and shown inside.

"Here you are, Mr. Jones. The private room you requested for your business meeting."

Though he was confused by those words, Francis did not let it show. He knew that Alfred must have chosen them for a reason and he would be made aware of that reason soon enough.

"Thank you," Alfred replied smoothly, tipping the man and letting the door close after he walked away. He sat on one side of the table and let Francis take the chair next to him. "Since our relationship is a secret, I had to create a cover story for why we would be dining together," he explained. "I thought that a business meeting was innocent enough and still allowed me to take you out on a date." He looked around the small room. "I know that this most likely making you uncomfortable but there are few restaurants in the city that have these private rooms. This way we do not have to keep our charade up at all times and can act as if we are actually on a date when we are alone."

Smiling softly, Francis reached over and took Alfred's hand. He truly appreciated all that the other was doing for them. They had never truly had a date since Alfred's father had continually tried to separate them and then Alfred had been so busy since his death. It was nice to see him trying to let them have a normal relationship.

There was a knock on the door and he quickly pulled his hand back into his lap before the waiter stepped into the room.

"Good evening, gentlemen," a tall man greeted with a smile. "My name is Damien and I will be your waiter tonight."


	5. Chapter 5

Dinner was pleasant and both were glad to have a normal date as if they didn't have to keep their relationship a secret. When the bill came Alfred hadn't let Francis anywhere near it for the man's sanity and had paid quickly before leading him out as if they had done nothing more than share a meal between business partners. However, he did not lead them to the car and instead began walking down the street towards a nearby park.

It was quite late by this point and there were few people out so once the pair were safely in the cover of the large trees, Alfred reached for Francis' hand. He smiled and held it tightly in his own.

"This is nice," he said quietly.

"Yes it is," Francis agreed.

Together they walked down countless paths, whispering and kissing to their hearts content. Occasionally they would peer around to see if anyone else was visiting the park but never saw anyone to their bliss.

"I wish we could have done this sooner," Alfred murmured. "It would be nicer if we didn't have to hide and could do this whenever and without excuses."

"Someday maybe we will be able to," the younger replied wistfully. "But until then I'm going to enjoy our secret dates whenever we get to have them."

A twig snapped nearby and the pair leapt apart, looking around them nervously. They didn't see anyone but felt uneasy.

"Let's go," Alfred muttered.

Francis nodded quickly and they hurried back down the path towards the car.

Seeing them coming, Bruce was waiting with the door open. Their urgency was palpable so he ran back to his seat once they were safely inside the car and drove off.

Adrenaline still pumping through their bodies from an unknown source, the pair cuddled closer together. Alfred put his arm around Francis and held him tightly. _What had been in the park? Could it have just been an animal? Or could it have been that man coming to hurt Francis?_ He didn't let go until the car was parked in the garage at home and Bruce came around to open the door once more.

Slipping out, he helped Francis out of the car and into the house. Waiting just inside the door as he did everyday, was his trusted butler, Wayne.

"Welcome home, Master Jones," the older man greeted politely. "Welcome once again, Monsieur Bonnefoy." A nervous smile was given in return to the butler. "I heard you had a scare during your outing in the park so I took the liberty of preparing some tea. It is waiting for you in the lounge." Alfred nodded his thanks, still too unsettled to speak. The butler showed them to the lounge, poured them each a cup of tea, and stepped out of the room. "I will be close if you need me," he explained as he closed the door.

The room was silent as they slowly drank their tea and let their nerves calm down. As the adrenaline wore off, the pair grew weary.

"Let's just go to bed," the older man suggested and Francis didn't see any reason to disagree.

* * *

They slept far later into the next day than they had planned but their bodies needed it. Around noon they had split so Francis could eat and Alfred could do a little work. He was planning on working until Francis was finished then he would stop and spend time with him once more.

A knock suddenly rang through the silent office.

"Come in."

Wayne stepped inside holding a small note.

"You have a letter."

"Thank you."

He accepted it and the butler left him alone once more.

The outside showed no address, only his name to his confusion. Opening it revealed a blank white card but when he opened it he found a short, handwritten note and a sketch of a bird. As he threw the card on the desk another picture of Francis fell out. This time the picture was from their walk the previous night.

 _'I've left my mark on your pretty boy. He should be more careful in that cute little bakery.'_

Instantly Alfred was on his feet and tearing through the large house to get to his beloved Frenchman. When he slid into the kitchen, the man looked up and smiled.

"Did you finish early?" He didn't answer. Instead, he hurried over to his side and started to pull back his sleeve to look at his bandage. "What are you doing?"

"I want to see your arm. I want to see if it's okay."

"Dear, it's just a burn. I'm fine."

Alfred looked deep into his eyes, voice completely serious.

"Baby doll, please. I want to see it for myself. I hate when you get hurt and it would make me feel better if I saw it myself."

With a sigh, Francis stood and set his fork down.

"If you are going to take the bandages off, at least do it in the bathroom."

He agreed and together they walked to the bathroom. The younger blond sat on the chair in front of the vanity that Alfred's mother had used when she was alive. A first aid kit was set on top of the vanity in easy reach of both of them.

Kneeling in front of him, Alfred carefully unwound the bandages to see an angry, red burn covering Francis' forearm. He started to breathe a sigh of relief when he noticed something else. Near Francis' elbow was a small image of a crow.

"Francis, did you know about this?" he asked as he adjusted his arm so he could indicate the bird.

"Hmm?" the other peered down and nodded. "Oh yes. We had just gotten a new pan type with this company who has a crow on the bottom of all their pans. And I just happened to be holding it the way that the crow was over my arm when I was bumped and dropped it."

Biting his lip, Alfred rewrapped his arm to protect it from further injury.

* * *

AN: Yes, Alfred has servants named 'Bruce' and 'Wayne'. It was just a silly joke that I couldn't ignore.


End file.
